Gas-main expansion joint



Oct; 15, 1929. H. E. BULMAHN 1,731,761

ms MAIN zxmgsmn JOINT Filed Feb. 10, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 INVENTOR. 0 W

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146-14 TTORNEYJ Oct. 15, 1929. H. E. BULMAHN 1,731,751

GAS LIN EXPANSION JOINT Filed Feb. 10, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 W My 4 5;,

4* ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1929. H. E. BULMAHN GAS IAIN EXPANSION JOINT Filed Feb. 10, 1927 ISSheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE BUIQMAHN, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR. TO THE WESTERN GAS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF FORT VTAYNE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF IN- DIANA GAS-MAIN EXPANSION JOINT Application filed February 10, 1927. Serial No. 167,289.

The invention relates in general to improvements of general utility in construction of by-pro'duct equipment for coke ovens and the like, andrelates primarily to improvements in constructions of the usual suction mains for drawing ofl from the coke oven collecting main the gas distilled off from the coal in the several coking retort ovens. More particularly, the invention relates to the provision, for such suction mains, of a built-up expansion oint which is gas-tight, of simple form, may be manufactured at greatly reduced cost, and is readily and easily installed with attendant reduction in cost of installation, and which will not require frequent repair and replacement.

I-Ieretofore, expansion joints for suction mains consisted of a steel-casting plunger section and a steel-casting casing section into which the plunger fitted to move freely upon expansion or contraction. These sections were about 36 inches in diameter and the plunger section was about 26 inches long and the metal was about one and onefourth inches thick, while the casing sec-. tion was about 22 inches long and the metal built-up expansion joint of the present invention, which eliminates said four flanges and the plungerand casing sections, weighs only about 1950 pounds.

' 1 Important characteristics of the present invention are to provide a simple but effective taken on the line -5 of Fig. 4.

built-up expansion joint for use in such suction mains, which may be installed at much lower cost than has heretofore been possible; the construction of an expansion joint in which all flanged joints may be eliminated, thereby reducing the possibility of leakage of gas at such flange joints and effecting a considerable reduction in the amount oflabor and material required for construction and installation; the construction of an expansion joint which will eliminate the needfor the very heavy castings of the cast steel expansion joints heretofore used, thereby saving the cost of such material and also reducing the weight of the suction mains considerably; the elimination of four flanges and bolts therefor which have been necessary to secure the flanges together when cast steel expansion joints were used; the elimination of the need for and cost of patterns for use in making the castings for'the' cast steel expansion oints; the construction of an expansion joint which will take up less space in the suction main line, thereby making it possible to install an expansion joint between two fittings which are spaced close together; and

the invention has for further objects such other advantages in construction and operation as may be found to obtain in the structure hereinafter described or claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and showing, for purposes of illustration, a preferred form and manner in which the invention may be embodied and practiced, but without limiting the claimed invention specifically to such illustrative instance or instances:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, showing diagrammatically in dottted lines a battery of coke ovens and its collecting main, and showing a suction maln, provlded with exp'ansion oints ofthe present invention, connected with such collecting main and'coke oven battery;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the suction main and showing on a larger scale the expansion joint; Fig. 4c is a vertical longitudinal section taken on theline 4% of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view serves to cool it and condense heavy tar and part of the ammonia contained in the gas. The collecting main slopes toward the suction main to which itis connected and the gas and condensates flow through the suction main; the condensates dropping at 13 into a hot drain tank provided for this purpose, while the gas under suction continues, through portion 14, valve 15, expansion joint 16, bend 17, expansion joint 16 and portion 18 of the suction. main 12, to the primary cooler where it is further cooled and most of the tar and part of the ammonia in the form of weak ammonia liquor are condensed. The raw'gases during their passage from the coke ovens to the primary cooler undergo a substantial degree of cooling in the gas collecting main 11 and suction main 12. The suction main 12 being exposed to the atmosphere is subject to varying degrees of expansion and contraction by reason of the hot gas flowing through said main and the climatic atmospheric conditions.

The suction main is supported by supports 19 having shims 21 to accommodate expansion and contraction of the main.

In accordance with the present invention, instead of inserting into the suction main line a specially prepared casting, the expansion joint is provided by telescoping two suction main pipe lengths 22 and 23. To one end of the pipe length 22 is welded a stufling box 24 consisting of a steel ring 25, encircling the circumference of one end of the pipe length 22 and projecting transversely therefrom, and an annular ring or band 26vwelded to ring 25, as indicated by reference numeral 27, and extending laterally thereof so as to parallel the pipe length 23 (shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as bend 17). The stuffing box is secured to the pipe length by the welding of the ring 25 to the pipe 22 throughout its circumference as indicated by reference numeral 28. The annular ring or band 26 is welded to the ring 25 so as to leave a space between said band 26 and the pipe length 23 which it encircles, to accommodate a plurality of turns of asbestos rope 34 and to permit entry to said space of an annular compression member 29 of a gland 31. The gland 31 consists of a steel ring 32 freely encircling the circumference of the pipe length 23 and projecting transversely therefrom, and an annular ring 29 forming a compression member which is welded, as indicated at 35, to the ring 32 and extends laterally from the ring 32 towards the stuffing box 24 and fits within .the space provided between the ring 26 and the pipe length 23. The compression member 29 is provided with a beveled edge 33 to facllitate compression of the rope pack1ng 34 so as to pack it against the pipe length 23 and the annular ring 26. Each of the steel rings 25 and 32 are provided with a plurality of apertures equally spaced on each ring for the reception of bolts 36 which tie the gland 31 to the stuffing box 24 and also effect the compression of the rope packing 34. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the pipe length 23 may move freely with respect to pipe length 22 and with respect to stuffing box 24 and gland 31, or the pipe length 22 together with the stuffing box 24 and gland 31 may freely move as a unit over pipe length i ingring welded circumferentially to the end i of one of said conduits that adj oins the other conduit, and a single separate annular metallic chamber-forming ring disposed at a spaced distance from the inner annular surface of and welded there to the side of said fixed tying-ring and extending therefrom directly over'and spaced circumferentially from the other conduit to form a packing chamber therebetween; a gland consisting of a single free annular metallic tying-ring disposed circumferentially of and freely encircling the other conduit for movement relative to both conduits and the packing chamber, and a single separate annular metallic compression-ring disposed against the inner annular surface of and welded there to said freetying ring and extending therefrom directly between the said chamber-forming ring of the stuffing box and the circumference of the other conduit so as to compress packing within the chamber formed therebetween; and means for drawing the gland tying-ring to- .wards and tying it to the stufling box tyingring to effect compression by means of the compression-ring of packing within the packing chamber formed by the packing chamber ring. 2. An expansion joint for the adjoining ends of a pair of metallic gas-conduits communicably connected with'each other at their adjoining ends for relative movement comprising, in combination: a stuffing box consisting of a single fixed annular metallic tying-ring welded circumferentiall to the end of one of said conduits that adjoins the other conduit, and a single separate annular metallic chamber-forming ring welded to said fixed-tying-ring and extending therefrom directly over and spaced circumferentially from the other conduit to form a packing chamber therebetween; a gland consisting of a single free annular metallic tying-ring disposed circumferentially of and freely encircling the other conduit for movement relative to both conduits and the packing chamber, and a single separate annular metallic compressionring Welded to said free tying-ring and extending therefrom directly between the said chamber-forming ring of the stufiing box and the circumference of the other conduit so as to compress packing within the chamber formed therein; and means for drawing the gland tying-ring towards and tying it to the stufling box tying-ring to effect compression 7 by means of the compression-ring of packing within the packing chamber formed by the packing chamber ring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto'set my hand. i

HENRY E. BULMAHN. 

